Health care Q&A: When can you change plans?

If I enroll in coverage on the exchange, but find out later after talking to friends and getting more information that I want to change my plan, can I do that?

Answer:

You can change plans during the open enrollment period, which runs through March 31. To change plans at other times of the year, you have to have what’s called a qualifying event, such as marriage, divorce or childbirth.

As far as changing plans during the enrollment, if you’ve already received a bill or paid the insurance company, the insurer must refund the premium, or if you choose another plan that qualifies on the exchange, then the insurer must apply the paid premium to the other qualified health plan.

As an aside, invoices for the January premium won't be issued until late November or early December, which is closer to the Jan. 1 date when the plans take effect, so people have time to make a change.

Source: State Department of Health

What do you want to know about Obamacare?

If you have a question about the Affordable Care Act, please email it to reporter Patti Singer at PSINGER@DemocratandChronicle.com. We will answer a different question each Monday through the end of the year.

To sign up

To visit the New York exchange website, visit: www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov. The phone number for the “NY State of Health” program is (855) 355-5777. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Latest numbers

Nearly 134,000 New Yorkers had signed up for health insurance through the New York State of Health exchange as of Friday morning, according to the state Department of Health. Since Oct. 1, the exchange’s customer service department has provided assistance to more than 62,000 people, according to a news release.